OK...built myself a 472 hemi motor a couple years back using chrome JE piston rings. I've had a problem consuming oil from the beginning...like a quart within a few hundred miles...also noticing that the oil turns black almost immediately. Looks like the tops of all of the pistons are wet (oil) and the spark plugs are also generally wet looking. I get smoke on decel primarily and on hard acel. It seems that ive got oil in the chamber..think ive ruled out valve stem seals (brand new) or head gasket. I still need to do a leak down again, but I'm leaning toward rings. The motor now as about 2000-3000 miles on it so the rings should be seated.

My suspicion is this and wondering if anyone can comment: This motor never gets very hot...even on the hottest days, idling for long periods in traffic, the temp gauge rarely reads above the normal marks on the temp gauge. The radiator is a factory 26", but I added a 4th row for better cooling. I'm wondering if by adding the 4th row, the motor is not getting very hot, possibly preventing already difficult to seat chrome rings to never really seat? I've been advised to try the borax soap method into the carbs as an old school way of roughening up the cylinder walls and encourage the rings to seat...im willing to try about anything to prevent taking the motor apart.

Any expert opinions on what I've described? thanks...